Hydrodynamic brake resistance control and cooling system



W. G. FITZPATRICK Dec. 31, 1940.

HYDRODYNAMIC BRAKE RESISTANCE CONTROL AND COOLING SYSTEM Filed Nov. 7,1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 awe/whom 1940- w. a. FITZPATRICK 2,226,558

HYDRODYNAMIC BRAKE RESISTANCE CONTROL AND COOLING SYSTEM Filed NOV. 7,1938 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I IIIIIIIIII WALTER G. FITZPAY'T'URICK 1940-- w.G. FITZPATRICK 2,226,553

HYDRODYNAMIC BRAKE RESISTANCE CONTROL AND COOLING SYSTEM Filed Nov. 7,1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Qwuowtom WALTER G.F\Tz PATRICK.

iltto: "M34 Patented Dec. 31, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT [OFFICEHYDRODYNAMIO BRAKE aasrs'rauca I CONTROL AND coonmc. SYSTEM Walter G.Fitzpatrick, Houston, Tex.

Application November 7, 1938, Serial No. 239.272

14 Claims. (01. 188-90) The invention relates to .a resistance controland cooling system for use with a hydrodynamic brake, particularly ofthe type used in hoisting equipment such as drilling rigs.

In the drilling of oil wells by the rotary method the drill bit andstring of drill pipe are raised and lowered in the well borecontinuously during the drilling operation and must be suspended whilebeing rotated so that the brake mechanism is a very important element inthe combination.

Hydrodynamic brakes have been utilized in the drilling of wells and onesuch brake is disclosed in the patent to De LaMater, N0. 1,992,911,

granted February 26, 1935.

In the actual operation of such brakes in the field, however, it hasbeen found that it is desirable to vary the resistance which is appliedto namic brake.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combination storage,cooling and control tank for hydrodynamic brakes.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable outletfor storage tanks so that any desired head of liquid may be maintainedtherein sothat such head of liquid will be available as a back pressureon an hydrodynamic brake.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a jet arrangementfor withdrawing liquid in a cooling system for hydrodynamic brakes.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a control reservoirwherein the head of liquid can be adjusted and the temperature of thewater controlled so as to obtain the most efficient operation of thebrake.

Still another object of the. invention is to provide an arrangement forintroducing and withdrawing the cooling water from a resistance controlreservoir for hydrodynamic brakes.

Other and further objects of the invention will be readily apparent whenthe following description is consideredin connection with theaccompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing one form of the apparatuswherein the outlet from the reservoir to control the head of liquidtherein is adjustable.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken at right angles to the. section ofFig.1 and showing the upper- 5 most portion of the reservoir. 4

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of the devicewherein a flexible connection 10 is provided for the outlet of theliquid by which the resistance head is controlled.

Fig. 5,is an elevation taken at right angles to the view of Fig. 4 andshowing the uppermost portion of the device.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of a second form of the inventionwherein a slightly different arrangement of .the exhaust outlet has beenprovided.

Fig. '7 is an elevation taken at right angles to 20 the section of Fig.6 and showing the uppermost portion of the device.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic. view showing the general arrangement andcombination of the resistance control and cooling system asv applied toan 25 hydrodynamic brake.

- The invention will be best understood by having reference to Fig. 8wherein, a hoisting equipment is indicated generally at 2 and the powerunit 3 therefor isshown as connected to operate 30 the hoist. Ahydrodynamic brake 4 is connected to the shaft 5 of the hoistingmechanism and the present resistance control and cooling system is shownat 6 as receiving the discharge connection I from the brake and theinlet pipe 8 to the brake. 35

In operation the head of liquid in the reservoir 6 is available throughthe pipe! inside of the housing of the brake 4 to serve as a resistancein controlling the brake. The water or liquid which becomes heated anddischarges from the 4g brake 4 will pass through the connection I anddischarge into the reservoir Ii. In order to control the resistance headand at the same time to provide cooling water the special reservoir 6has been provided and one form is shown in Fig. 1.

In this form the connection 8 is shown in the middle of Fig. 1 near thebottom thereof and it is through this pipe that the cool waterdischarges into the brake housing, The connection 1 by which the heated'water returnsto the reservoir is shown near the top of Fig. 1.

The reservoir B is in the form of a tank In which is mounted on a baseII. A pipe I! is connected to a suitable source of fresh cold waterunder pressure and the flow of this water is upwardly through the pipeI3 to the top of-the reservoir where the flow is controlled by a valvell, as best seen in Fig. 2. The water flowing through this pipe isvisible, as at I5, where it enters the down pipe l6. It is desirablethat this connection be open so that the operator can observe the amountof water which is entering the resistance reservoir.

The down pipe I6 is best seen in Fig. 1 and terminates at the elevationli closely adjacent the outlet port 8 and near the bottom of thereservoir. A continuation oi the pipe |2 carries a valve l8 by which anydesired proportion of the liquid can be discharged into a Venturi tubeIt, which is provided in a bypass line 20 in order to create a suctionin the control pipe 2|. This control pipe discharges at 22 so that anydesired amount 01' liquid can be discharged from the reservoir 6 inorder to maintain the desired elevation of the head of liquid above theoutlet pipe 8. This discharge may be into the atmosphere, to a feedwater line for boilers, to a cooling tower to be returned to the systemor to any other connection desired.

In Fig. 1 the control pipe 2| is shown as hinged or pivoted at 2'4 and25 so that the elevation of the end 26 thereof may be raised to anydesired position. In order to effect the desired adjustment of thiscontrol pipe a Windlass 29 has been provided in the top of the housingl0 and this windl-ass may be operated by a handwheel 30. A chain 3|extends from the Windlass to the clamp 32 near the end 26 of the controlpipe. A ratchet arrangement 33 enablesthe operator to set the Windlassat any desired position to control the elevation of the entrance end 28or this control pipe. As seen in Fig. 1, the elevation of the liquidlevel in the container will be at the line 36, which is the elevation ofthe end 26 of the control pipe.

with the arrangement just described the hot water entering the pipe 1will be in the upper portion of the reservoir while the cold water willbe discharged through the down pipe 16 near the bottom of the reservoir.The water being discharged from the reservoir through the control pipe2| will be taken from the upper elevation and will be the warmer water.so that there will be a tendency to control the temperature by varyingthe amount of water introduced through the flow line l2 as compared withthe amount of heated water which is discharged from the control pipe 2|.On the other hand, the head of liquid from the variable elevation at 38controls the back pressure which is applied through the pipe 8 to thebrake 4 so as to vary the braking eflect thus obtained.

If desired, a valve 38 may be provided in the outlet pipe 22 in order tocontrol the rate of flow so that if it is desired to quickly increasethe head of liquid in the reservoir this valve may be closed to preventany escape or to control the volume or liquid which escapes from thereservoir.

In operation the driller can adjust the end 26 of control pipe to thedesired elevation by manipulation of the hand wheel 30 so that he canapply the desired resistance to the brake. The amount of cooling watercan be observed by noting the flow'irom the pipe I3 into the down pipeI6. I! desired a sight gauge 40 can be provided on the side 01' thereservoir.

Fig. 4 shows a modified tom of the device which is substantially thesame in operation as that described in connection with Fig. 1. The inletwater pipe and the down pipe are the same as previously described exceptthat the down pipe may be provided with a plurality 0! periorations 50.as best seen in Fig. 4. The down pipe l8 and the inlet or supply pipe I3serve as guides for an adjustable head H which carries the upper end ofthe control hose 52. This control hose takes the place of the controlpipe 2| and, as seen in Fig. 4, is coiled in position adjacent the baseof the reservoir or housing I. The entrance to this pipe is at 53 in thehead Bi and by manipulating the chain 3| this head can be raised to anydesired elevation the same as the end 28 of the control pipe. Anoverflow pipe 55 has been provided with a plurality of perforations 58,so that no excessive pressure can be created in the reservoir. Theremaining portions including the discharge and Venturi arrangement arethe same as described in connection with Fig. 1. A drain valve 51 isshown on the side 01 the reservoir.

Fig. 6 shows still another form of the invention which is a modificationof Fig. 4 in that the flexible hose 52 has been. somewhat shortened byhaving its discharge and 58 connected to an upright pipe 59 while theadjustable head 5| has been replaced with a bracket 60 which isadjustable along a guide rod 6|, upon which the stops 62 are adjustablyarranged. The chain 3| and Windlass 29 operate the same as in connectionwith Figs. 1 and 4.

Fig. 6 shows a pressure gauge 6-5 connected by a conduit 66 to thesupply pipe |2 adjacent the venturi l9, so that the operator may observethat the pressure at which the venturi is being operated has anindication of the amount of liquid which is being withdrawn from thereservoir.

Figs. 4 and 6 operate in exactly the same manner as described inconnection with Fig. 1.

Broadly the invention contemplates a combination resistancecontrol andcooling system to be used in combination with hydrodynamic brakes.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a hydrodynamic brake, a system for cooling andregulating the pressure on such brake, said system includingconnectionsv to and from the brake, a reservoir to which saidconnections are attached so that cooling liquid flows to the brake fromadjacent the base and heated liquid enters the top of said reservoirfrom the brake, means adjustable in said reservoir to determine theelevation at which the liquid will be withdrawn from said reservoir, andadditional means to force liquid from said reservoir through said firstmeans.

2. In combination with a hydrodynamic brake, a reservoir connected toreceive and discharge cooling liquid to said brake, means in saidreservoir to control the back pressure on the cooling liquid to vary theresistance to said brake including a discharge pipe adjustable as toelevation. and means exterior 01' said reservoir to adjust the elevationof such discharge pipe.

3. In combination with a hydrodynamic brake, a. reservoir connected toreceive and discharge cooling liquid to said brake, means in saidreservoir to control the back pressure on the cooling liquid to vary theresistance to said brake, said means including a discharge controloutlet from said'reservoir, and means exterior oi said reservoir toadjust the elevation of such discharge outlet.

4. In combination with a hydrodynamic brake, a reservoirconnected toreceive and discharge cooling liquid to said brake, means in said reser-1! voir to control the back pressure on the cooling liquid to vary theresistance to said brake, said means including a discharge controloutlet from said reservoir, having an entrance which is adjustable as toelevation, and means exterior or said reservoir to adjust the elevationof said entrance.

5. In combination with a hydrodynamic brake, a reservoir connected toreceive and discharge cooling liquid to said brake, means in saidreservoir to control the back pressure on the cooling liquid to vary theresistance to said brake, said means including a discharge controloutlet from said reservoir, and a suction device connected to saidmeans. 7

6. In a resistance and cooling liquid control device for hydrodynamicbrakes, a reservoir for liquid which flows to and irom the brake, aninlet for cool liquid, and a discharge for warm liquid, said dischargeincluding a jointed pipe to be adjusted as to elevation to vary theresistance applied to the brake.

7. In a resistance and cooling liquid control device for hydrodynamicbrakes, a reservoir for liquid which flows to and from the brake, aninlet for cool liquid, and a discharge for warm liquid, said dischargeincluding a flexible hose to be adjustedas to elevation to vary theresistance applied to the brake.

8. In a resistance and cooling liquid control device for hydrodynamicbrakes, a reservoir for liquid which flows to and from the brake, aninlet for cool liquid, a discharge for warm liquid, said dischargeincluding a flexible hose to be adjusted as to elevation to vary theresistance applied to the brake, and means to adjust the entrance tosaid hose.

9. In a resistance and cooling liquid control device Ior hydrodynamicbrakes, a reservoir for liquid which flows to and from the brake, aninlet for cool liquid, and a discharge for warm liquid, said dischargeincluding an upstanding pipe, 9. flexible hose section thereon, andmeans to adjust the end of said hose to vary the head of liquid-applyingresistance to said brake.

10. In combination with a hydrodynamic brake, a reservoir connected toreceive and discharge cooling liquid to said brake, means in saidreservoir to control the back pressure on the cooling liquid to vary theresistance to said brake, including a discharge pipe adjustable as toelevation. and means exterior of said reservoir to adjust the elevationof such discharge pipe, including a hoist which can be set to supportsaid discharge pipe at diflerent elevations.

I 11. In combination with a hydrodynamic brake, a reservoir connected toreceive and discharge cooling liquid to said brake, means in saidreservoir to control the back pressure on the cooling liquid to vary theresistance to said brake, including a discharge pipe adjustable as toelevation, and means exterior of said'reservolr to adjust the elevationof such discharge pipe, including a hoist having a cross head and guiderods in the resen ir which cross head can be set to support saiddischarge pipe at diflerent eleva- 'flexible hose section thereon,- andmeans to adjust the end of said hose to vary the head oi. liquidapplying resistance to said brake, including a hoist having a bracketconnected to said hose. I

13; In combination with a hydrodynamic brake,

, a reservoir connected to receive and discharge cooling liquid to saidbrake, means in said reservoir to control the back pressure on thecooling liquid to vary the resistance to said brake, including adischarge pipe adjustable as to elevation, and means to add coolingliquid to the reservoir includinga sight feed to observe such addition.

14. In combination with a hydrodynamic brake. a reservoir for coolingliquid for the brake, a pipe fixed to said reservoir and brake toconduct liquid from the reservoir to the brake, another pipe fixed tothe reservoir and the brake to conduct liquid from the brake to thereservoir, means independent of said pipes and carried by said reservoirto vary the back pressure of the cooling liquid in the reservoir to varythe resistance to said brake comprising means operable from the exteriorof the reservoir to discharge the liquid from the reservoir at diilerentlevels.

WAL'I'ER G. FI'I'ZPA'I'RICK.

